Chapter 19 Lola
Lola
December…
I smile as Landon gets teary-eyed while lifting Randie into the air, and she squeals with delight. Grady is standing beside him, making goofy faces at her, too. “This is the best idea ever. I’m so glad you could swing the time away.”
“I’m happy too,” I say and force myself to stop talking even though I’m dying to tell someone that I didn’t get the time off and re-assigned my two current doula clients and turned down a new one, which is money and experience I could desperately use if I were staying in this profession.
“Fourteen days is way too long to go without you seeing your daughter.”
“And she was fine on the flight?” he questions as he pulls her into his chest and kisses the top of her head. “My god, she’s got so much more hair than when we left.”
“And I think she grew. Look how long her legs seem,” Grady says, and she reaches out and grabs one of his fingers.
“She was great on the flight. And of course Mom is insisting we stay with her and not at the hotel,” I inform them and immediately add, “I told her she could have Randie, but I’m totally enjoying the perks of my solo five-star room.”
Hopefully, I will not be alone. Although I haven’t seen Theo or talked to him for a couple of days before this road trip.
He did send me a message on the app, but when I went to respond, it was gone.
He was gone. He deleted his profile—or blocked me.
And stupid me doesn’t have his actual phone number.
I could ask Callan for it, but after the way he reacted to the news that we hooked up, I don’t think it would go over well.
Especially because I swore it wouldn’t happen again.
Maybe Theo doesn’t want it to happen again, and that’s why he deleted the app?
I hope that’s not true. I really need some kind of distraction from my life.
I haven’t been bothered by Pete again, but I’ve been relentlessly on edge, worried he’ll show up somewhere.
My last shift at the bar went off without a hitch, and he wasn’t there, but I had Todd walk me to my car anyway.
I’ve spent the last two weeks living at Landon and Grady’s because it’s easier for Randie to be in her own home.
I went home once to grab my suitcase to pack for this trip, and there were fresh footprints in the snow outside our door.
They gave me the creeps, but I had no proof who left them.
We really need to get that Ring camera set up.
“Are you guys sure you’re good?” I ask my brother and Grady.
“Yeah. Go,” Landon says, never taking his eyes off his daughter. “We’re going to order room service and hang out here.”
“Mom said she would swing by tonight to pick her up,” I tell them, and slowly inch my way toward the door. “Are all the players on the same floor?”
“No. We’re spread out over nine and ten,” Grady says, and then he pauses, and our eyes connect. “Speaking of players, a bunch are going to dinner at a Mexican place that Redov loves. If you want to join. I think Cal is going, and I know Theo is.”
He holds my gaze for just a second too long.
It’s telling, like he knows something. Did Callan tell him about Theo and me?
He said he wouldn’t tell a soul, and I believed him because no one wants to admit their sister is banging their teammate.
So I haven’t talked to Theo, Grady is giving me weird vibes, and now I’m second-guessing being here.
But Landon couldn’t go the entire road trip without Randie, and when he asked me to fly her out here, I couldn’t argue.
“Okay. I’ll consider the dinner thing. What room is Cal in?” I ask, hoping I sound nonchalant. “I want to say hi.”
“919, I think,” Landon mutters.
“Yeah, that’s his room,” Grady confirms. “The one next to Theo.”
Bingo. I smile. “Later, boys. Call if you need anything.”
They don’t even bother to say goodbye, too obsessed with Randie.
I make my way down the hotel hallway, past the elevators, and hook a left, following the signs that say room 919 is this way.
I get to Callan’s door just as he’s stepping out of his room.
He seems shocked to see me. “Landon had me and Randie fly down so he could see her. Fourteen days is way too long for them to be apart.”
“Is that legal?” he asks, and I roll my eyes.
“The coach gets that Landon and Grady are her only parents. I’m sure he’s cool with it,” I reply. “Plus she’s sleeping at Mom’s tonight and won’t interfere with your ridiculous hockey routines.”
“They’re not ridiculous.”
“You’re grown ass men, and you nap every day,” I retort, and now he rolls his eyes.
“So where are you staying?” he asks pointedly, and his gaze shifts to the door to his left. Callan would be a terrible poker player.
“I have a room on the fourth floor,” I explain casually, trying not to smile at the fact that I now know what room Theo’s in. “But Grady mentioned a dinner at a Mexican place.”
“Team dinner. You are not on the team,” Callan replies.
Before I can argue or complain, Theo’s hotel room door opens, and my face lights up at the prospect of seeing him.
I can’t hide it. Only it’s not him stepping into the hall.
It’s a woman. And she’s… gorgeous. Short like me with long dark wavy hair and a perfect little ski jump nose and full mouth painted a cherry red…
She’s in a clingy dress that looks like a long men’s Henley shirt, and she’s paired it with suede ankle boots.
Her tiny waist and curvy hips are on display.
I immediately feel inferior and embarrassed, wishing I’d put on something better than jeans and a T-shirt. She glances at me. “Hey.”
“Hi,” I spit out and try to smile because she’s smiling at me. Why? I have no clue. But I can’t hate her. She doesn’t know I’ve been banging him, too.
She turns to Theo. “Thanks. I’ll message you tomorrow and tell you how it goes.”
“Yeah. Cool.” Theo steps into the hall, and when he sees me, he freezes. His normally healthy complexion turns to ash. “Lola. What are you doing here?”
The woman keeps walking and turns the corner toward the elevator. “I brought Randie. She’s with Landon.”
“Oh,” he says, and I want to puke because he’s acting weird, which means I definitely caught something I shouldn’t have.
“Yeah, so… Have a good night.” Callan slaps my back like I’m one of his buddies and looks to Theo. “Ready for dinner?”
A door opens down the hall as Theo’s gaze ping pongs from me to my brother and back. “You guys coming? Theo? Are you actually participating in a team event?”
“I… was… I mean…”
“Yeah. He promised me he would,” Callan replies to the guy two doors down, who is obviously also a player.
The guy comes toward us and gives me a slow, very obvious once-over. He extends his hand. “Iggy Redov.”
“Lola,” I say and take his hand.
“My twin sister,” Callan adds.
Redov pulls his hand back like my skin was about to catch fire. “Another Casco? Cool. You wanna join us for dinner? This place makes the most amazing Enchiladas verde.”
“She’s good.”
“I’m good and hungry,” I add and smile at Redov. “Thanks for the invite. I’d love to.”
Callan groans, his giant frame sagging, and I flip him the finger. Redov watches, amused, and turns to Theo. “Siblings are wild. I’m so glad I was an only child.”
Theo just smiles, but it’s tight. Good. He doesn’t want me at dinner.
Too bad. I’m going, and I’m going to make sure it’s one hundred percent clear I don’t give a flying fuck that I just saw his hook up, or whatever, leave.
Because he has to think I’m perfectly fine.
Even though I am so not. That’s a me problem, though. Not something Theo can ever know.
The Mexican place is just off Golden Gate Park up near Haight and Ashbury, so I’m at least in my element.
I grew up here, hanging out in the park and scouring the vintage shops in this area.
The restaurant itself is new, though it looks old and has a no-frills vibe that makes hipsters happy.
I get the enchiladas verde because Redov raved about them, and they don’t disappoint.
We’re at two picnic-style tables, and I’m wedged between Callan and Redov with Theo across from me next to their back-up goalie, Micheals.
He’s a grumpy fuck, and I know Grady and Landon don’t like him much.
I’m not sure why he came out tonight because no one really talks to him.
Not like I’m talking much either. I listen to the guys banter about hockey and enjoy my enchiladas.
I’m also making sure my face shows zero emotion unless it’s happy, so I smile like a cheerleader on crack at every dumb joke Redov makes, and the Russian makes a lot of dumb jokes.
“Casco, you should bring your sister on more road trips,” Redov announces as everyone is finishing their food. “She’s much more fun than you.”
“I didn’t bring her. Landon did,” Callan clarifies, grumpy as ever. “And if it wasn’t for our niece, she wouldn’t be here. Lola hates hockey.”
“No. I hate hockey players,” I correct, and Redov covers his chest with his hands like his heart just broke. “Sorry. You guys seem delightful. Most of you, anyway.”
My eyes dart to Theo, who is staring at me like he’s never seen me before.
Weird considering he’s seen all of me. Redov drops his head onto my shoulder, and I turn my gaze back to him.
He’s absurdly tall and thick with bright green eyes and messy dark hair.
Not an unpleasant sight at all and definitely charismatic.
“Lola Casco, I’m gonna make it my personal mission to make you like hockey players. At least this one.”
He winks, and I roll my eyes and reach for my Dos Equis. As my lips wrap around the bottle and find Theo. His eyes are narrowed on me, like he’s angry. Weird reaction for a dude who trotted his hook-up out in front of me.
“How many days are you tagging along on this road trip?” Theo asks, and everyone looks at him because his voice is deep and dark, like he’s angry.